


What's Past is Prologue

by key_exchange



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: (mostly), Established Relationship, Fluff, Gender Dysphoria, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Pre-Canon, Trans Jonah Magnus, author is transmasc, it's pretty mild and mostly in the past tho, rated m just to be on the safe side of things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:01:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28891041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/key_exchange/pseuds/key_exchange
Summary: Jonah has the urge to reach across the table and put his hand on Barnabas’, but he quickly vanquishes the thought -- they’re in public and he’s gotten Barnabas caught up in enough scandal already. Yet, this doesn’t rid Jonah of his underlying desire to be with him -- conversation isn’t the only thing he had hoped for the previous night....he wants -- no, he yearns for them to be alone together and make up for the previous night.
Relationships: Barnabas Bennett/Jonah Magnus
Kudos: 16





	What's Past is Prologue

Barnabas Bennett checks his pocket watch for the third time in two minutes, standing in the shade of a tree in Hyde Park to escape the scorching summer heat. It’s nearly thirteen minutes past when Jonah was supposed to arrive, which is not the latest he’s ever been by any means, but it _is_ certainly late enough that Barnabas could only imagine what sort of trouble Jonah has gotten himself into since the morning.

It occurs to him that he has no idea where Jonah said he was going to before hastily leaving, barely touching breakfast -- something to do with antiques allegedly possessed with arcane powers? The details do not particularly matter to Barnabas, he just wishes he knew which direction Jonah was coming from; for all he knows, Jonah could have been standing behind him all this time. He casually looks behind him to make sure this is _not_ the case, and then swivels around looking to see if he can spot Jonah anywhere. 

Unfortunately, he does not see Jonah, and even more unfortunately he _does_ see Mr...he does not remember this gentleman’s name, nor his wife with whom he’s walking. He hopes to not provoke a conversation with someone whose name he _should_ know -- especially when he’s supposed to be meeting someone else, but it is too late. He catches the eye of this gentleman who waves and begins to approach him.

“My God! Mr. Bennett, is that you?” says the gentleman as though he just witnessed a man walk on water.

“Good day to the both of you,” he replies politely, carefully avoiding an attempt at remembering either of their names.

“I must say, I did not expect to see you here. It’s been ages since we’ve seen you about the ton. What has brought you out of hiding, Mr. Bennett?” 

Barnabas resents the way the gentleman says “hiding.” He hasn’t been _hiding_ , he just doesn’t care for the frivolity of Society. But that doesn’t stop him from cordially replying, “I am to meet someone here so we may go for a walk.”

Saying this piques the interest of both the gentleman and his wife who, until this moment, has been entirely unengaged with the conversation. “May I inquire whom you are going for a walk with?” the wife says meekly.

Barnabas opens his mouth to speak, but is cut off by the gentleman saying, “Could our Mr. Bennett finally be courting a lady again?”

“No,” Barnabas says civilly, using all his willpower to not roll his eyes, “I’m simply meeting Mr. Magnus, sorry to disappoint you.”

The gentleman’s excitement withers like a bouquet left out in the sun before he solemnly says, “You really must find yourself a wife one of these days.”

“I appreciate your concern, but my stance on marriage remains the same.”

“Mr. Bennett, I know how brokenhearted you were, and rightfully so -- how dreadful it all was! But it has been _years,_ is it not time for you to move on from--”

Barnabas notices that Jonah is _finally_ and also _slowly_ approaching, observing, his stare practically burning a hole in the back of the gentleman’s tailcoat. “If you’ll excuse me,” Barnabas says apologetically. 

“Of course,” the gentleman replies, glancing over his shoulder to see Jonah. “Enjoy your walk with Mr. Magnus -- oh, and do think on what I said, Mr. Bennett,” he adds before walking away with his wife.

A sigh of relief escapes Barnabas’ lips upon finally being free from that couple.

“Apologies for being late,” Jonah says, stopping just in front of Barnabas. “I spent my morning staring at an ancient grandfather clock and I believe it may have actually affected my sense of time, for when I first laid eyes upon it, it was a quarter to ten and now it is nearly one in the afternoon! Is that not _fascinating_?”

“Fascinating” is not the word he would have used to describe such an unsettling event, but seeing Jonah grinning at him like this, all he can do is smile back and say, “Yes, quite.”

“Now tell me, my dear Barnabas, what was _that_ that I witnessed upon my arrival?” Jonah asks, nodding in the direction the couple had left.

“ _That_ was an old acquaintance of mine pitying me for being too 'brokenhearted' to marry.”

The grin on Jonah’s face grows wicked before he says, “Was he, now?”

“Yes! I told you people still do this.”

“And they say _you’re_ the one who needs to leave the past behind -- shall we?”

“Oh, yes,” Barnabas says, beginning to walk with Jonah, “and that’s because _you_ caused quite the scandal.” 

“Hm. I suppose I did. But _you_ played the part quite well, I was told.”

“I suppose I did.”

They continue walking in silence, Barnabas taking in the sight of Jonah, and Jonah taking in the sight of everything else.

Jonah looks up at Barnabas, the light bringing out the green tones of his hazel eyes. “This feels just like old times,” he says, reminiscence in his voice.

“Yes,” he sighs, “although you no longer need a chaperone for us to do this.”

“And is that not better?”

“It is _much_ better, my dearest Jonah,” says Barnabas, feeling his face begin to turn red.

He thinks of their past together, of how they had courted one season a little over half a decade before.... 

_At first, everyone thought them an odd couple, Jonah being from a higher standing household, and both of them closer in age than most couples, but everyone could see how deeply in love they were with each other, and they became all anyone could talk about. Everyone was sure they were going to be married by the end of the season -- Barnabas thought they would be married by the end of the season. He went so far as to get permission from Jonah’s father and to actually propose. Jonah accepted the proposal initially, but the moment he found a way to see Barnabas alone, he broke down in tears and told Barnabas he couldn’t marry him._

_“I-- I don’t understand, ” Barnabas said, feeling his eyes well up. _

_“Because I’d be living a lie,” he replied._

_“I thought you loved me.”_

_“I do! But--”_

_“--But what? I don’t understand.”_

_“I wouldn’t expect you to,” Jonah said with the most agonizing expression that Barnabas had ever seen._

_“Please. Help me understand.”_

_He had no idea how long the two of them stood there, Jonah wearing the same heartrending look on his face before he looked Barnabas dead in the eyes and said, “My whole life, I have been told I was a woman, that I look like one -- a very pretty one, even -- but this isn’t what I want! I’m not supposed to be a…” he had trailed off, trembling, but eventually adding, “I know myself to be a man and I could not live my life as someone’s wife.”_

_Barnabas was taken aback by this. He stared at Jonah, trying to comprehend what had been said to him. He knew he didn’t really understand, but that didn’t matter to him, he loved Jonah too much._

_“Alright,” he eventually replied._

_“Alright??”_

_“Alright. I don’t want to make you miserable.”_

_Barnabas helped Jonah start his new life, helping him with creating a cover-story, and procuring new clothing and living accommodations. He was even the one to cut Jonah’s hair, and the first person to say Jonah’s name -- oh, how he had glowed the first time Barnabas said it._

_Their love only grew over the years. They wrote to each other constantly -- even when Jonah attended university. And when they saw each other in person, they were allowed to be alone together in ways they never could before. In the privacy of Barnabas’ house, they shared their first kiss, and they shared a bed..._

“How I would have loved to see the looks on everyone’s faces when they read I’d ‘eloped with a Parisian artist,’” says Jonah discreetly yet proudly, an oxymoron only he could accomplish.

“I still think it was quite unnecessary to claim that you were with child in your note,” Barnabas whispers in response. 

“I wanted to make sure nobody would come looking for me, and I think it was quite effective, was it not?” 

“Your parents said you were dead to them.” 

“I can assure you the feeling is entirely mutual. Now, let’s not think on that anymore. I believe we are to have lunch together, are we not?”

* * *

It feels like ages since Jonah has been able to sit down and properly talk with Barnabas. He had hoped to catch up with him the previous night, but his carriage got into London so late he was barely able to offload his luggage before falling asleep on top of Barnabas’ bed, still half dressed.

Now he’s sitting across from Barnabas at a coffee house, listening to him talk of his whereabouts, his business endeavors, what books he’s read -- everything since they last spoke in person. Nothing has really changed -- well, except for the books, but he’s thoroughly intrigued by what Barnabas has to say, only diverting his gaze from him to thank the waiter who brought their food. 

Jonah has the urge to reach across the table and put his hand on Barnabas’, but he quickly vanquishes the thought -- they’re in public and he’s gotten Barnabas caught up in enough scandal already. Yet, this doesn’t rid Jonah of his underlying desire to be with him -- conversation isn’t the only thing he had hoped for the previous night....he wants -- no, he _yearns_ for them to be alone together and make up for the previous night. 

“When we are finished dining, shall we continue walking about town?” Jonah says before subtly leaning in and adding, “Or perhaps would it be more to your liking if we were to return to your home?”

“What would you prefer?” Barnabas asks, setting down his cup of coffee.

Jonah takes a deep breath, centering himself so as to not sound as desperate as he is for human touch when he says, “I think you know what I want.”

Barnabas’ eyes grow wide before he says, “Then let us make haste.”

* * *

Upon arriving at Barnabas’ townhouse, they both warmly greet the staff before they hurry up the stairs to his bedroom, locking the door the moment they are both inside. 

“Oh, how I missed you so!” says Barnabas, throwing his arms around Jonah.

“I cannot put into words how much I ached for you these past months,” he replies, relaxing into the embrace, feeling his spine tingle beneath Barnabas’ touch.

“Then you should come to London more often,” whispers Barnabas.

“You know I am terribly busy.”

Barnabas sighs. “Yes, I know.”

Jonah looks up at him, both of their breathing beginning to quicken. He wants to get right to it, to strip Barnabas of his coat and push him back onto the bed -- and he does, but not before putting his hands on Barnabas’ face and kissing him gently, savoring the moment.

Jonah nimbly wriggles out of his own coat and climbs on top of Barnabas, kissing him again. Barnabas carefully undoes the buttons of Jonah’s waistcoat, maintaining eye contact as he does so. He moves on to untying Jonah’s cravat, causing him to sharply inhale as his hands brushed against Jonah’s neck. Normally they stop there, normally Jonah keeps his shirt on, but something overcomes him -- perhaps it has something to do with their conversation in the park -- and he lifts his shirt over his head and throws it to the side.

“Are you quite sure about this, Jonah?” Barnabas asks, slightly alarmed by this new development.

He takes Barnabas’ hand and brings it up to his chest, guiding him to undo the binding, his breathing heavy as he says, “Yes.”

* * *

Jonah lays next to Barnabas, comfortably under the covers to keep from feeling quite as exposed. He rolls over to look at Barnabas and says, “Perhaps I should _make_ time to come to London more often.”

Barnabas raises his eyebrows.

“You see, I would love nothing more than to spend all of this next week in your bed, but I know for a fact that we have other obligations.”

“I am aware of _my_ obligations, but what obligations do you have?”

“Well, to start, tomorrow I am to meet with someone regarding a book I have been in search of for the past year--”

“Please, do be careful, Jonah” Barnabas says, genuinely concerned (which he probably should be).

“I know what I am doing.” 

“You’re going to get yourself killed by one of those things if you are not cautious,” he says, placing his hand under Jonah’s chin, using his thumb to stroke his cheek.

“Worry not, my dear Barnabas, I have absolutely no intention of dying.”

Barnabas kisses Jonah before saying, “You are truly the most bizarre man I have ever met.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> i recently came across some absolutely amazing fanart of jonah and barnabas by osheets on tumblr and between that and my current gender crisis™ this fic was born. and as always, special thanks to my trusty beta reader miles_and_miles!


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